Birthstone Guide

Birthstones are precious gemstones or semi-precious gemstones associated with each month. Gem researchers believe that assigning meaning to birthstones began with the Bible's Exodus 28:15-30. This passage describes the Breastplate of Aaron, a ceremonial garment adorned with twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. These birthstones are also aligned with the dozen zodiac signs and calendar months.

People started attributing the qualities of gemstones with the personalities of those born in a specific month or astrological sign. Since birthstone history spans 1,000s of years, it's no surprise that multiple birthstone information guides exist and vary among cultures.

In addition to the monthly birthstones guide and the birthstones of the zodiac, there are also Ayurvedic (healing) birthstones hailing from 1500 B.C. India. Another list is mystical birthstones which come from Tibet and date back 1,000 years. Traditional birthstones were chosen in the 1400s and today's modern birthstones were adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912.

No matter which birthstone you choose, reference our birthstone information guide to learn more about its history rich with mystery, mysticism and tales of magic.

January	Garnet	Named after its resemblance of a pomegranate seed	Brings friendship, sincerity, health & loyalty
		Found in Egyptian jewelry from 3100 B.C.	Protects during travel
		Garnet comes in all colors, but the birthstone is a burgundy red	Symbol of faith, eternity & truth
February	Amethyst	A purple quartz with a rich history	Keeps wearers even-tempered and level-headed
		Ancient Greeks and Romans believed the birthstone prevented drunkenness	Brings peace of mind, calm, serenity & tranquility
		English royalty wore in the Middle Ages	Drives away worries
		Leonard da Vinci thought it dissipated evil thoughts and quickened intelligence
March	Aquamarine	Latin for aqua (water) and marina (the sea)	Believed to protect sailors and provide a safe voyage
		Lore says this birthstone is mermaid treasure	Symbol of health, youth & hope
		Usually light green-blue to blue-green color. Deeper color more typical in larger gems	Cools tempers and calms emotions
		Made of beryl and related to emeralds	Sharpens the mind

April	Diamond	Name stems from "Adama," Greek for "unconquerable"	Represents fearlessness & invincibility
		Were worn to protect fighters in battle	Emblem of love and eternity
		Ancient Greeks thought the birthstone was fragments of fallen stars or tears of the gods	Helps wearer see things clearly and honestly
		Graded on cut, color, clarity and carat weight
		Valued for fire and brilliance

May	Emerald	Mined as early as 330 B.C. in Egypt	Symbol of life, fertility, rebirth & youth
		Made of beryl and related to aquamarine	Said to bring joy, love & fortune
		The great Cleopatra collected emeralds
		Inclusions make this brittle gem one of the most difficult to cut
June	Pearl	Organically grown in mollusks	A symbol of purity and innocence for centuries
		Only gemstone that does not need polishing	Emblem for modesty, peace, beauty & nobility
		Favorite gem of the Roman Empire
		Considered tears of the gods in ancient Persian mythology
		Natural pearls were so rare, that only the wealthy could afford them
		Culturing made this birthstone affordable to all

July	Ruby	Fiery red birthstone	Brings passion and blocks misfortune
		Made of corundum and related to sapphires	Protects and gives strength
		If the red color is not deep enough, it will be classified as a sapphire fancy	Known as the stone of love
			Given as a symbol of success, devotion & integrity
August	Peridot	Birthstones brought from the deep earth through volcano eruptions	Brings friendship, success & peace
		Believed to be the tears of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes	Chases away depression, fear, envy & nightmares
		Several color choices, including yellowish-green, lime & olive green

September	Sapphire	Made of corundum	Clears the mind
		Most popular and valuable color is deep blue	Promotes relaxation and truth
		Fancies come in orange, green, purple, yellow & pink	In the Medieval Ages, the birthstone was associated with heaven
		Red corundum are rubies, not sapphires	Protects loved ones from harm, envy & sickness
October	Opal	Derived from Greek word "Opallos," which means "to see a change (of color)"	Symbol of purity, hope & fidelity
		Ancient Romans named it "Queen of the Gems" due to its unique and colorful rainbow flashes	People in the Middle Ages wore opal rings to avoid plague
		Can be many colors, with white being the most common and black the most valuable.	Sharpens the mind
		It can range from semi-transparent to opaque.	Sharpens the mind
		Made of hardened non-crystalline silica gel	Said to lose its power once the owner dies
		A soft birthstone that must be handled with care	Gives confidence and health
November	Citrine	French word for "lemon"	The "healing quartz"
		A quartz with abundant sources	Creates vitality
		Color can range from light yellow to brown-orange, but most prized is a yellow-orange	Gives authority and power
			Makes wearers lighthearted and relaxed
			Supports mental clarity, success, confidence & hope
December	Blue Topaz	Topaz is naturally colorless. The blue color is due to either natural or man-made heat	Provides patience and pleasantness
		Sky, Swiss and London are the color names from lightest to darkest	Thought to have cooling properties
		The birthstone is the hardest silicate mineral	Symbolizes love and fidelity when given as a gift
		Made of aluminum and fluorine